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286 WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES IN THE WEST
On Sunday the 25th of October the weather was brilUantly
fine and as warm as a summer’s day, but a thin fihii of vapour
lay over the sea hke a dehcate veil.
Captain Bess suggested a motor trip to Haak’s battery
among the dunes beyond Mariakerke. So we started off down
the Rue de Tourout, dodged about awhile in the open country
and finally found our friend Haak amongst his guns. His
battery, consisting of four French 7.5 cm. guns, looked a very
motley lot. The guns themselves had been taken at Maubeuge,
the horses were Belgian, and the harness and saddlery English.
In order, without being seen from the sea, to reach the
position—well concealed behind the crest of the dune—it had
been necessary to pass through a communicating trench which
led up to it. We were thus fairly safe and did not have to
expose ourselves to any objectionable missiles which might be
thrown ashore from the English destroyers. The guns with
their grey-coloured shields were also practically invisible from
outside, as there was nothing but a small embrasure in the
dune wall to indicate where they stood.
Officers and men had dug out caves for themselves, some
covered with boards, some, for the lack of something better,
with sticks and twigs. It looked quite homelike in their
abodes. The sand of the dunes was soft t© lie upon, albeit a
little damp on account of the advanced autumn.
In the ridge of the dune they had contrived a little niche
with boarded floor, where an exceptionally powerful battery
telescope had been adjusted on its stand in such a way that
only the lenses showed above the crest. With the aid of this
telescope we were able to scan the mist-enshrouded sea and
the sandy, sunlit coast.
We had just settled down on the edge of the communicating
trench, where we sat as close together as in a crowded tramcar,
when suddenly an officer up at the battery shouted, " Deckung,
Flieger ! " ("Cover, aviator!") We looked up, and right
above us soared an aeroplane at a very great height. " An
English biplane," somebody said. " No, I think I can see the
Iron Cross under the wings," answered another. But a third,
lying on his back, with glasses focussed right on the thing, said
quietly : "I can see the red English streamer." We were then
told to keep absolutely still. Everyone had to remain where
he stood and no one was allowed to move. Otherwise the airman
might have noticed the movement and bombs might be dropped
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